Crimp type terminal

ABSTRACT

A bi-metal crimp terminal having a terminal portion formed of high tensile strength spring material with a tail extending into a crimp barrel formed of relatively maleable strip stock such as brass so that when a bared conductor is positioned in the crimp barrel and the barrel is crimped around the wire, a direct electrical connection is formed between the wire and the terminal portion. The terminals may be secured to a carrier strip.

waited States Patent Sitzler [54] CRIMP TYPE TERMINAL [72] Inventor: Fred C. Sitzler, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Berg Electronics, Inc., New Cumberland,

[22] Filed: Oct. 9, I970 211 App]. N0.: 79,525

[52] U.S. Cl ..339/223 R, 339/262 R, 339/276 T [51] Int. Cl ..I-IOlr 15/12 [58] Field of Search ..339/223, 262, 276, 277, 214, 339/215; 29/630 F; 174/84 C, 97 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,788,508 4/1957 Buchanan ..339/277 R 2,715,764 8/1955 Pierce ..339/276 SF 3,440,596 4/1969 Frompovioz ..339/206 3,317,887 5/1967 Henschen et a1. ..339/256 1 Apr. 4, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 364,342 11/1922 Germany 173/259 1,910,179 11/1969 Germany....

56,278 6/1967 Germany ..339/223 R Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant ExaminerRobert A. Hafer Attorney-Thomas Hooker 57] ABSTRACT A bi-metal crimp terminal having a terminal portion formed of high tensile strength spring material with a tail extending into a crimp barrel formed of relatively maleable strip stock such as brass so that when a bared conductor is positioned in the crimp barrel and the barrel is crimped around the wire, a direct electrical connection is formed between the wire and the terminal portion. The terminals may be secured to a carrier strip.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 INVENTOR. Fred C. Sitgler Thomas Hooker,

His Atcorncl CRIMP TYPE TERMINAL The invention relates to a bi-metal disconnect type terminal in which the disconnect portion is formed of high tensile strength spring material, such as heat treated beryllium copper. A tail of the disconnect portion extends into a relatively maleable crimp barrel so that a direct crimp connection may be formed between a conductor and the disconnect portion. Both the disconnect portion and the crimp barrel may be stamp formed from strip stock and carried by strips to permit the disconnect portions to be physically attached to the crimp barrels prior to crimping. After attachment of the disconnect portions to the crimp barrels, one of the strips, preferably the strip carrying the disconnect portions, may be broken away so that the remaining strip carries the bi-metal terminal.

In conventional type terminals the crimp barrel and terminal are formed from a single piece of strip material. Because the strip stock must be relatively maleable in order that the crimp barrel may be deformed during crimping to form a good connection with the inserted conductor, the terminal must be formed of low spring strength metal so that it is not possible to obtain the desired high contact pressures. If the entire terminal were formed from high tensile strength spring material, it would not be possible to form the desired crimp connection with the wire.

These problems inherent in crimp type terminals formed of a single type of material are eliminated by the bi-metal construction disclosed herein where high tensile strength spring stock, such as beryllium copper, is used for the disconnect portion of the terminal and relatively maleable brass or phosbronze is used for the crimp barrel.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, of which there is a single sheet.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a strip of terminal disconnect portions;

FIG. 2 illustrates a strip of terminal crimp portions;

FIG. 3 illustrates the assembly of the portions of both strips to form bi-metal terminals;

FIG. 4 is a prospective view of one of the terminals;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a terminal crimped to a conductor.

Bi-metal terminals 10 illustrated in the drawings are formed of two parts, a terminal portion 12 and a crimp portion 14. FIG. 1 illustrates a strip 15 of terminal disconnect portions 12 which are preferably punch formed from a strip of high tensile strength spring material such as beryllium copper. The strip may be heat treated to improve its spring properties. Each of the individual portions 12 extend laterally from a carrier strip 16 having pilot holes formed at regular intervals therealong. The disclosed terminal portions 12 comprise a terminal disconnect 20, in this case a tuning fork type disconnect. Narrow tail portion 22 connects disconnect to strip 16 at a severable joint 24. If desired the terminal portions 12 may be suitably plated in order to improve their conductive properties.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second strip 17 of crimp portions 14 which have been punch formed from a strip of relatively maleable metal such as brass or phos-bronze. The crimp barrels 14 extend laterally from carrier strip 26 which is also provided with pilot holes 28 at regular intervals along the length thereof. Each crimp portion 24 comprises a wire crimp barrel 30 and an insulation crimp barrel 32. The side walls of U- shaped barrel 30 are bent inwardly a slight distance above the bottom of the barrel to provide knuckles 34 which are used to confine the tail 22 of terminal 12 within the barrel. The spacing between knuckles 34 is less than the width of tails 22. Crimp barrels 14 may be severed from strip 26 at 36.

Following formation of the two strips illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the individual terminal portions and crimp portions are assembled as illustrated in FIG. 3 to form the terminals 10 of FIG. 4. Terminal portions 12 and crimp portions 14 are spaced at equal intervals along their respective strips 16 and 26 so that when the strips are laid over one another the tails 22 of terminal portions 12 lie within the two barrels 30 and 32 of the crimp barrels. The terminal portions may then be snapped past knucles 34 so that a physical connection is formed between each terminal portion and a corresponding crimp portion. This relationship is illustrated in FIG. 5.

During the assembly of bi-metal terminal 10 it is desirable that either the terminal portions 12 or the crimp portions 14 be removed from their respective carrier strips so that the assembled bi-metal terminals are carried on a single strip. The severing operation may be performed prior to assembly of the two parts or subsequent to such assembly. In some applications it is preferable that the terminal portions 12 be removed from the beryllium copper carrying strip 16 since carrier strip 26, which is formed of relatively maleable strip stock such as brass or phos-bronze, is more easily reeled and does not possess the spring properties of strip 16.

Following assembly of the bi-metal terminals 10, the terminal strip with the terminals thereon may be fed to an applicator which positions the bared end of a wire in crimp barrel or ferrule 30 and an insulated portion of the wire within the insulation crimp barrel or ferrule 32. The barrels 30 and 32 may then be crimped to secure the terminal to the wire as illustrated in FIG. 6. The crimp barrel 30 holds the conductor 38 in intimate high pressure contact with the terminal tail 22 so as to form a direct electrical connection therewith and the insulation crimp barrel 32 secures the terminal to the wire insulation. Thus, the crimp portion 14 does not form the major part of the electrical circuit path between the disconnect ter minal 20 and the conductor 38. The result is a crimp type terminal in which the disconnect portion is formed from a high tensile strength spring material. Because the conductor 38 is crimped directly into connection with the disconnect terminal 20, a single low contact resistance connection is formed at the crimp. This represents an improvement over prior bi-metal terminals in which the conductor is crimped or otherwise secured to the maleable portion of the terminal which in turn is secured in some way to the spring portion. (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,888). Thus, in the prior bi-metal terminal there are two connections between the conductor and the spring portion and the resistance therebetween may be greater than in the disclosed terminal.

An additional advantage of the disclosed terminal is that where the terminal is to be crimped to different size wires, it is necessary only to change the crimp portion so that a proper wire barrel is provided. The terminal portion may be used with a variety of crimp portions. Likewise, different terminal portions may be used with the same crimp portion.

While the disconnect portion 20 of the disclosed terminal is a tuning fork terminal adaptable to form an electrical connection with a b1ade-like member inserted between the tines of the tuning fork, obviously other types of disconnect terminals, such as wire wrap pins or sockets, may be utilized and it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific type of disconnect terminal disclosed herein.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

What I claim my invention is:

I. A bi-metal crimp type terminal comprising a spring portion formed of high tensile strength spring metal and including spring means for forming an electrical connection and a tail, and a crimp portion formed of relatively maleable metal including a U-shaped crimp barrel having a bottom and two side walls extending in generally the same direction away from said bottom, said tail being positioned within and extending along the bottom of said crimp barrel whereby upon positioning of a bared conductor within said barrel and crimping of said barrel a high pressure direct electrical connection is formed between said conductor and the terminal portion.

2. A terminal as in claim 1 wherein the side walls of said barrel adjacent said bottom are bent in toward each other to form knuckles, the minimum spacing between said knuckles being less than the width of said tail with the tail confined in said barrel between said knuckles and said bottom of the barrel.

3. A crimp-type terminal as in claim 2 wherein said crimp portion includes an insulation crimp barrel and said tail extends through both said barrels.

4. A terminal as in claim 1 wherein said spring means of said spring portion comprises a tuning fork contact.

5. A bi-metal terminal assembly comprising a plurality of spring members each formed from high tensile strength spring material and including spring means for forming an electrical connection and a tail portion, a plurality of crimp portions formed of relatively maleable metal each including a crimp barrel, a carrier strip, the tail portion of each spring member being positioned within the crimp barrel of one of said crimp portions to form a plurality of bi-metal terminals, said terminals being spaced at regular intervals along said carrier strip, and severable connections joining either said spring members or said crimp portions to said carrier strip.

6. An assembly as in claim 5 wherein said strip joins said spring members.

7. An assembly as in claim 5 wherein said strip joins said crimp portions.

8. An assembly as in claim 6 including indexing means formed in said strip at regular intervals therealong.

9. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein each said spring means comprises a bifurcated disconnect type terminal.

10. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein the tails of said spring portions are physically secured to said crimp portions by snap type connections.

11. An assembly as in claim 10 wherein inwardly facing knuckles are formed in the side walls of said U-shaped barrels, the spacing between said knuckles being less than the width of said tails and said tails are confined between said knuckles and the bottom of said barrels.

12. A bi-metal crimp type terminal comprising a spring portion formed of high tensile strength spring metal and including spring means for forming an electrical connection and a tail, and a crimp portion formed of relatively maleable metal ineluding a U-shaped crimp barrel having a bottom and two side walls extending in generally the same direction away from said bottom, means in the crimp barrel for holding said tail against the bottom of the barrel whereby upon positioning of a bared conductor within said barrel and crimping of said barrel a high pressure direct electrical connection is formed between said conductor and the terminal portion.

13. A terminal as in claim 12 wherein said means comprises a snap-type connection between the tail and the barrel. 

1. A bi-metal crimp type terminal comprising a spring portion formed of high tensile strength spring metal and including spring means for forming an electrical connection and a tail, and a crimp portion formed of relatively maleable metal including a Ushaped crimp barrel having a bottom and two side walls extending in generally the same direction away from said bottom, said tail being positioned within and extending along the bottom of said crimp barrel whereby upon positioning of a bared conductor within said barrel and crimping of said barrel a high pressure direct electrical connection is formed between said conductor and the terminal portion.
 2. A terminal as in claim 1 wherein the side walls of said barrel adjacent said bottom are bent in toward each other to form knuckles, the minimum spacing between said knuckles being less than the width of said tail with the tail confined in said barrel between said knuckles and said bottom of the barrel.
 3. A crimp-type terminal as in claim 2 wherein said crimp portion includes an insulation crimp barrel and said tail extends through both said barrels.
 4. A terminal as in claim 1 wherein said spring means of said spring portion comprises a tuning fork contact.
 5. A bi-metal terminal assembly comprising a plurality of spring members each formed from high tensile strength spring material and including spring means for forming an electrical connection and a tail portion, a plurality of crimp portions formed of relatively maleable metal each including a crimp barrel, a carrier strip, the tail portion of each spring member being positioned within the crimp barrel of one of said crimp portions to form a plurality of bi-metal terminals, said terminals being spaced at regular intervals along said carrier strip, and severable connections joining either said spring members or said crimp portions to said carrier strip.
 6. An assembly as in claim 5 wherein said strip joins said spring members.
 7. An assembly as in claim 5 wherein said strip joins said crimp portions.
 8. An assembly as in claim 6 including indexing means formed in said strip at regular intervals therealong.
 9. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein each said spring means comprises a bifurcated disconnect type terminal.
 10. An assembly as in claim 6 wherein the tails of said spring portions are physically secured to said crimp portions by snap type connections.
 11. An assembly as in claim 10 wherein inwardly facing knuckles are formed in the side walls of said U-shaped barrels, the spacing between said knuckles being less than the width of said tails and said tails are confined between said knuckles and the bottom of said barrels.
 12. A bi-metal crimp type terminal comprising a spring portion formed of high tensile strength spring metal and including spring means for forming an electrical connection and a tail, and a crimp portion formed of relatively maleable metal including a U-shaped crimp barrel having a bottom and two side walls extending in generally the same direction away from said bottom, means in the criMp barrel for holding said tail against the bottom of the barrel whereby upon positioning of a bared conductor within said barrel and crimping of said barrel a high pressure direct electrical connection is formed between said conductor and the terminal portion.
 13. A terminal as in claim 12 wherein said means comprises a snap-type connection between the tail and the barrel. 